Discrimination related to sexual orientation and gender is one of the most significant problems in school systems in Latin America. Discrimination hurts students and distorts their perception of their school, which becomes an unsafe and threatening place for one's identity, affects learning, and leads to various disorders. Silence on sexual and gender-based violence is a major obstacle to protecting students and preventing these discriminatory practices. Schools do not have statistics on or capacity to deal with this violence.  
  
The general objective of this project is to contribute to the strengthening of strategies for the promotion of gender equality and prevention of gender-based violence in rural schools. The aim is to create empirical data that can guide the treatment and prevention of violence in schools and to contribute to the development of materials and public policies to address this issue. Following a participatory approach, the project will design and adapt existing tools and instruments, build local knowledge and capacity, and contribute to policy proposals to incorporate this issue into national and regional policy instruments.